The Life Of A Film Marker: Alex Leu

Alex didn't just wake up and state that he wants to be have a career in film and entertainment, he remembers before he could even walk, the feeling of those positive vibrations coming from his parents' old record player. His journey through film actually started because of music. Alex's passion for music grew so deep that he became a professional musician playing in bands and orchestras around Europe and then in the United States. The final step which really connected him to film was when he started to compose music for short films and commercials. After that, Alex began to write and direct his own films. 

Although Alex makes it look effortless, he did face and had to overcome multiple challenges. "The greatest challenge for a filmmaker, and any artist, at the beginning of their career is to survive just through their art. It takes time to build an audience, your reputation in the industry, your craft.

 

Being able to stay true to your artistic identity, and not succumb to the pressures of everyday reality, is especially hard at the beginning". Alex adds "there is the question of what sets you apart in this business? The world has seen it all and unless you figure out a way to differentiate yourself from the masses. You'll simply get lost in the crowd". In 5 years Alex sees his career flourishing into bigger achievements. He says "hopefully by that time my films would have played in theaters around the world, and touched enough people in a meaningful way, to create some kind of positive lasting effect in their lives. That is my vision of success to which I am striving towards. Another goal of mine is to be able to empower the young generation with the right tools for them to be able to succeed in life and career, both in a creative and practical day to day approach". 

During his free time, Alex teaches film making at SAME TV, which is the student TV station of The City College of New York. He used to be a member before he started film making and later become president for several years. He recalls during that time, alums would mentor him and his fellow members and after graduating college, he wanted to give back as others did before him.

 

A typical job is Monday though Friday and weekends off, not in Alex's world. His week doesn't include weekends and he works as soon as he wakes up in the morning and keeps going until he falls asleep late at night. He takes pleasure in what he does and likes to work on several projects at once that having a limited amount of relax time doesn't effect him. His career keeps him on his toes because everyday is different depending on the specific needs of a current project. 

Alex has worked on numerous projects which includes, a video for the 2014 Olympics involving four hip-hop artists and the Grammy Award-winning music producer Buck 3000, but his most interesting project was "CUNY is Happy". The music video is a remake of Pharrell Williams Oscar nominated song, "Happy". CUNY is the nation's leading urban public university serving more than 480,000 students at 24 colleges and institutions in New York City. "It was a real privilege to work on a project of this magnitude, we filmed all over New York City on many college campuses and involved close to two hundred students in it's production. Under the umbrella of Pharrell Williams' beautiful song, CUNY students, faculty, and administration, united to share and express their happiness. It was beautiful to experience so much positivity and most importantly, capture it in a video so it can spread and serve as a reminder of the power of contagiousness of positivity". Alex explained. 

You can watch the video in the link below.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H3ApVGWh1I

To see more of Alex’s work go to www.alexleufilm.com

16 and Pregnant, do we blame the show or society?

The other day on facebook, one of my friends had wrote a status about a young girl saying she was 16 and pregnant and how she is very happy and that it is normal to have a baby at her young age. Then he went on to add his two cent to the situation and made a statement that stuck out to me. He stated that he blames the MTV reality show "16 and Pregnant". His reasons were that the show glorifies teen pregnancy, it makes teens excited to become a parent in hopes of being a cast member on the show. To a certain degree and only a degree is where I agree with the above statement. I do think that it makes a teenage girl think that if she becomes pregnant at 16, she will automatically be apart of the show and get her 5 seconds of T.V. fame, but to just BLAME everything on this reality show, I'm sorry but I just can't and will not agree with it.


I am so tired of people blaming a T.V. show for something that has been going on for years and will continue to go on even after the show. Sad to say but it is the truth and the world that we live in today. I feel like the show gets toooooo much credit for something that has been going on for years and years. Way back when before my mama was even born. I wasn't really trying to compare the two because young woman back in those times was forced into marriage by their fathers and had children in wedlock at the age of 13. Even in the upcoming generations, it was happening but it was considered to be a folkway, meaning that society accepts it but thinks it's morally unacceptable. That's just how it was, people never spoke openly about it, girls wasn't even allowed to stay in a regular school.. In those days!! But my point was just because a show is based on a topic DOES NOT mean that it just magically started. It just wasn't any light shed on it, until now. We're in the expose everything, leave nothing to the imagination period. Look at all these reality shows going into a person's home and digging into their personal lives. Nobody believes in what is my business stays my business. Those morals is out the door completely. 


At the end of the day, It all depends on that teen and how they are raised. Some of those pregnant teens came from a parent that had them as a teen, so that's the example that was set. There are also situations where a parent has been an active part of their childrens lives and taught them and raised them to the best that they could, but peer pressure is a mother, you know the rest!! Peers is the number one influence on a growing teens life. We can prepare them, we can threaten them, do anything in our power to prevent certain things but the bottom line is that we can't stop everything. Especially now, because I seen so many little girls being fresh, dressing and looking older, developing beyond their age and acting grown. Then you have these little boys telling them what they want to hear, making the girl feel if she has sex she will be popular and important. The girl gives in and BAM, they engage in sexual intercourse and some don't know anything about protecting themselves or they do but naive to the thought of anything bad happening to them. There are many consequences, not only pregnancy but STI's. 

There has been some very positive things about the "16 and Pregnant" reality show. It shows the hardships that each teen faces and scares some of the teen viewers. I even heard a young lady state that this show has became her form of birth control and she will not have sex until she was old enough to not only have sex but to be able to handle anything that might happen when it's over. So in this case, we should thank the show for this reason alone. Some young women don't have parents that talks to them about sex and teen pregnancy so, watching this show is kind of like an eye opener to them and it shows them that having a child is not only about dressing them up and making them cute. What you going to do when they cry all day and night, when they are sick, when it's time for you to go to school, pampers is not cheap, how are you going to afford it with no job etc. It gives young teens a lot to think about. As i'm writing this blog, I think this show has it's pros and cons, no doubt it all depends how the information is translated to a person. 

The message I got from watching Pinky and the Brain cartoons

One thing I have to say about the Brain is that he NEVER gave up on trying to take over the world. No matter how many times he failed, the very next episode he forgot about his past mishaps and tried a new way of accomplishing the goal. I must say, the Brain was a very optimistic little dude and I respect him for that. That is the same thing I want people to live by. Not necessarily saying that I want people to fail at every attempt they make to do great things, but just NEVER giving up and knowing that one day soon, all that hard work will pay off. I don't think my generation really knows about hard work, they just want the outcome of it. You have to lay down a foundation in order to build a house, you can't just build a house on uneven land because it will eventually fall over.

Pinky was that friend, you know that one friend that kept a person from reaching their goals. He was the friend that you keep at a distance because he messed up too much. He never took anything seriously. Every time the Brain was close, here comes Pinky dumb ass messing ish up! He never listened, if you're a part of a team, you must work together, not do your own thing. You stay away from people that posses those qualities . It's going to be friends and family that you love to pieces and think that because you knew them for years and years that they have to be there on your "come up", and that is not the case. Those people are blocking your blessings and will enable you from doing you. That's why you have to watch the company you keep and not all people are good people. You never truly know a person until you lived with them, have a baby by them or some ish goes down and their behinds is no where to be found. You want to have people in your corner with the same ambitions. I once read this, if you want to be a CEO, you attach yourself to a person or people that is already living that dream because that is where you want to be. If all you do is hang around a friend that doesn't work and is lazy, then you will become that over time. Remain motivated and with people that push you to do your best! 

Fat Girl Slim

I've been a big girl for more than HALF my life. I would say about 16 years. Being fat and in school was the worst experience of my life, especially during my junior high school years. My peers used to tease me everyday, talk about how my legs where shaped funny (i'm knocked kneed), every time I would eat, it was a joke coming from somebodies mouth, I just felt like the target in my classroom everyday and I hated going to school. I remember telling my mother "I'm fat and ugly" and her saying "No you're not, who told you that? you're beautiful" and I just didn't believe her. Yea I would laugh and I would even joke on myself but deep down inside I was hurting and very embarrassed  just thinking about it has me tearing up, it stuck with me for years. It held me back from a lot of things, I settled for the jerks because I thought they were the only ones that wanted me, I used to feel like I wasn't worthy of true love, always thinking if someone is judging me, walk into a room with people laughing and thinking "are they laughing at me?". This is where my anti-social, afraid to be who I am, very insecure and lack of self love developed. I must admit I grew up with these things programmed in my head and I didn't start loving me for me and knowing my worth until I turned 25. 

My high school days wasn't as bad. I became what I call "The Fat Funny Friend", hey I had to find my niche so it was be funny or bully ppl so they wouldn't fuck with you cause they're scared you might sit on them. And since I wasn't about that life, I chose the funny shit. Fast forward 5 years, age 18. I was losing weight that summer, working, nobody could tell me my shit stink lol. Met my daughter's father and let's just say, I blew UP and not in a good way. Before I got pregnant I was eating always eating. He was skinny so he never gained the weight, but I did! At one point of time we lived together and everyday he brought home Popeyes, chinese, heroes, whatever I wanted I got. I also got something else I didn't want, an EXTRA 50 plus pounds!! Chile I blew up like the marshmallow man. ( I think that mofo got me fatter on purpose). Then I found out he was cheating on me and I am an emotional eater, I kept eating to drown my sorrows. October 2007, found out I was pregnant and I was so scared because how could I love somebody else when I didn't even love myself. I lost myself during my whole pregnancy, I was a total different person, I didn't go out, stayed in bed all day, didn't do my hair, separated from my friends, they would call weeks on end and I wouldn't answer. He kept cheating and I kept eating digging myself in a deep depression, in a maze and I had no clue how to get out. June 6th 2008, the best day of my life, giving birth to my Kimorah!!!! :) once she got here it was all about her. 

In July 2011, I met one of my really good friends John, I think he was sent in my life for a reason. We grew closer over the next 2 years. I found out he was into fitness, body banging all that so I kind of joked around at 1st just because it was an interest of his and I just wanted an excuse to see him lol. He worked out with me, he took time to tell me what exercises to do for what area I was having the most trouble with, he looked up a diet plan for me and everything. He was the one who said go get that gym membership to Lucille Roberts what do you have to lose?. Yea he's saying all this and I just wasn't focused at that moment. I think I wasn't fully ready for the change and for the hard work. I was only doing it for attention BUT as I started the gym, I grew to love it and the motive to impress him turned to impressing ME! I loved what I was seeing in the mirror, exercising felt like great sex and a major stress release. I started noticing my double chin going up, my thighs going down, stomach going in, and my back rolls going from 6 to 4 lol. I really thank John because when I had doubts, he talked to me and was there through the whole process. He even went food shopping with me that is a true friend and supporter and I will always cherish him for that. I don't think he knows how much of an impact he had on my life. That's all it takes, one person to have your back when you're afraid to fall to say I got you, don't worry.  

I became obsessed with clean eating, don't ask me how I found out about it but I started my research and I just had to do it. I don't know how I came across Sexy Shred on twitter, and I take that as a sign! Plus it was based on clean eating, the same thing I was so curious to try, yea it was meant for me to end up doing this challenge. I sent an e-mail thinking, "I won't get sponsored" and guess what, I got it. Sexy Shred is a lifestyle change consisting of multiple challenges, support group of 500 plus people, and clean eating. Who know I, Shaniqua L Hargett, would love to cook every damn day lol. 

Moral of my blog is that I been struggling with my weight, so every pound I lose, I celebrate them! I'm loving me more each day and I love looking in the mirror, I love feeling good and light, I lost almost 50lbs and counting. Me being able to jog 4 laps straight without stopping was something I never thought I would be able to do. Also, I wanted to tell my story for those going through the weight struggle just keep going, don't let people discourage you and tell you that you can't do it. I had a few people say you sure you want to clean eat, you going to cook? You go all the way downtown Brooklyn to Trader Joe's to shop with all those bags? YUP YUP YUP I sure do and if i'm not complaining why should you? You just have to do what makes you happy. If you can't make the gym, workout at home, it's getting nice outside, go for a jog around the block. Love yourself, be yourself, believe in yourself cause I do and you can do IT! DON'T PLAY THE VICTIM, BE THE VICTOR! NO MORE EXCUSES!!

Diary of the Young and Single...

I been looking for love in all the wrong places.... The biggest problem is that I've been LOOKING... how can you look for something you never really had? never really knew? thought you've experienced but in reality it was just lust, it was just you being comfortable with that person because you didn't want to start over, let's be serious starting over is blaaah, it's like "Do I really want to tell this person this?, did I tell them too much?" etc that whole process can be stressful, and redundant ... Yes, I was that girl that settled because I just wanted to feel a fraction of what I thought love was, I wanted the kisses and the hugs..The affection, feeling like I was his one and only knowing deep down inside that I wasn't. Loving the attention that I got at that moment... and when he was done he was done and when he was ready to come back, I let his ass back... I felt like I was special because he came back, maybe I had that good good that no other women had, thinking he was fond of me... I didn't understand back then that we was together because it was convenient for him. I wasn't a priority but an option because I allowed him to treat me as such... We're so stuck on what we want "love" to be, that we let and allow somebody that doesn't deserve us to treat us like we don't even matter, this thing here goes both ways and it should never hurt... but infatuation is a big bitch and will make you blind to the things that are wrong, once denial starts to play a major part in a relationship, it is time to evaluate yourself and GET YO LIFE *Tamar Braxton voice*


I am proud to say that I learned my self worth... I know who I am and what I want... I LOVE MYSELF first before any man and it will forever stay that way. We can't love others and not ourselves because a person won't adore you or respect you if you don't even do that for yourself...we become so obsessed with pleasing them and making them happy that we lose us in the process... WE starts to be HE/SHE.. that is not a good feeling at all... to be in love all by yourself... I am scared tho, to open myself up and trusting a man, the first thing I do is think negatively before it even really starts, I'm going into my 2nd year of singlehood, I am so used to just being by myself, i'm content with being alone and I don't think that is a good thing especially since I am so young, I should be at least dating. But i'm not, I don't want to waste my time cause I can't get it back ...Slowly but surely I am going to take that chance and roll the dice... It's like a gamble, you win some and you lose some... not only relationship wise but in general...


I'm not going to lie I HATE being single but then again, I really don't want to rush some shit I might regret... I do want to get married one day, settle down build a family, career and all that together as one. It's not just about a title you have to put in that hard work and dedication. At the same time, I like not having to worry about if my man is cheating, or the lies, I don't have to explain to anybody where I am going and why... Shit, it's none of your got damn business!!!!!! I don't have to worry about none of that... And then when I do get lonely, I be wanting some want company, I miss those nights being laid up and cuddling.. But I refuse to be with somebody just to say that i'm in a relationship. I don't want a pointless person in my life that has nothing else to offer but that one thing and like Trey Songz said, "Sex ain't better than love". I want it to be some official shit that is not sold in stores... Love that is so ripe that you get chills at the thought of em, you wake up with them on your mind, go to sleep with them in your dreams, when their number pops up on your phone you get butterflies and the only cheese face lol... it gives you that glow that is brighter than the sun, and when he goes deep the sweat on the sheets can overfill any ocean. Somebody that has your back and supports everything that you do and vice versa... I can go on and on but I don't feel like it

Gender Roles in Today's Society

When I studied sociology, we learned about a woman named Margaret Mead. She was a cultural anthropologist. She was very well known for her book called "Sex and Temperament in Three Primitive Societies". In this book, she compared the gender roles from three different cultures in New Guinea. The first tribe was The Arapesh, and both men and women were peaceful, they didn't like conflict or anything hard and aggressive. The next tribe was the Mundugumor, they were the complete opposite. Both men and women were very aggressive, hard and had warlike tempers. The last tribe was completely opposite from them both. They were the Tchambuli. The men were the feminine ones, they gossiped, and was very much focused on their appearance. The women were masculine ones, not focused on beauty or gossip, just working hard to provide for their family. 


I know you're probably reading this like "what's good with this mini lecture?", lol but I promise you that I do have a point. I'm going to be real honest, what made me think about this specific topic was because some men that I know, don't know and heard about act like some bi**h a$$ dudes in the uno dos. For some reason, that topic made me think about what we learned in sociology. From there, I just thought about the similarities between the two. It was interesting to me because I never looked at it from this point of view before. 

I know that we're used to seeing the gender roles being male = masculine, the providers and the head of the household. Female = feminine, the ones that takes care of the family. But times has really changed. I'm not even talking about sexuality, but gender roles period. I know we all watched movies where the men saves the women. Now, it's looking like it's the women that saves the men lol. How I see it is that a man should be strong, not even physically but you know, they have that man thing going on lol. A woman should be delicate, have that soft touch that draws a man in. What man wants a female to be a "thug"?. None that I know of!

One thing that I observed over time is that a lot of men gossip. Let me type that again GOSSIP!!! Not ALL but some do, and I have to give them that -____- look. Oh trust and believe that it's not cute when women do it,but you expect that from them. When a man does it, for me it takes away from their manhood. Some are very focused on beauty and fashion. It's nothing at all wrong with that, you have to maintain yourself and when you look good, you feel amazing. BUT there is a BUT... If you take longer than me to get ready, we have some technical difficulties. I'm just saying though! 


A lot of men are domestic, being the house husband, as the women go to work and become the bread winners. That is so similar to the Tchambuli tribe. I kind of like this arrangement because it gives a chance for the females to have that life outside of being a mother/housewife. Also, it allows the men to spend more time with their children and have them create that bond that is rarely seen these days.

Don't think I forgot about the females, because I didn't. I'm getting to them right now. There are plenty of females that are so hard and aggressive that they walk around looking like pitt bulls. *Not saying they look like a dog, but they look so mean and angry like they are ready to fight anybody that breathes in their direction* Just relax your face ma and smile a little bit, it doesn't hurt. Maybe they think that is cute, I have no idea. 


Another thing that I see, is an increase in single parent households, forcing a woman to play a man's part. Meaning they have to possibly work more hours, or doing more of something just to compensate for the absent parent. That makes a woman less dependent on a man and more independent. But the negative thing about that is, when they ever do find a partner, their mindset is changed and they wouldn't know how to let that man be a man because they was so used to "acting" that. At least that is what I think, I swear that i'm a therapist :)

The Amazing Diane Warren

My very first blog should have been on this topic!! I don't know what I was thinking.


Diane Warren is somebody that I was encouraged to research about in my music electronics class two semesters ago. When I looked her up, I was in AWE. She has her own music publishing company named REALSONGS, which was one of the top five. How many females do you hear about in the music industry that has their OWN SUCCESSFUL business?? Hmmmmmm i'll wait......... Diane has won countless amounts of awards and wrote for various people, in a variety of genres. She wrote Toni Braxton's "Unbreak my Heart", Reba McEntire "What If?", Xscape "The Arms of the one who loves You". She has written for Beyonce, Akon, Celine Dion, etc. Everything from writing #1 hits for movies, such as "Rhythm of the Night" For "The Last Dragon", to Aerosmith's "I Don't Wanna miss a thing". Just to name a few. I can't even type out EVERYTHING she has produced because she has done A LOT!! When I type A LOT I mean A LOT!!! You don't believe me, then just GOGGLE her :p


Point blank, I want to be like Diane Warren when I grow up!! *Not exactly like her, I want to be MusicniQ* lol She is truly amazing, incredible, creative and very versatile in her craft, which is what I aspire to be. She has written many songs that are CLASSICS!!!! She wasn't just a here today, people forget about you tomorrow type of person. Her lyrics live forever. I want to have that kind of an impact with my songs one day. I also look up to her because she is a woman that has established herself in the music industry. Like Diane, I want to open my own publishing company. She didn't  have that support from her mother on her "come up", but she did from her father. That is kind of like the same situation I was in when I first explained to my mother my choice of career. Reading her success story and her musical accomplishments just gave me that drive, like I can do anything I want to do by taking a RISK. By working hard, staying dedicated and keep pushing forward no matter what, even if people don't agree with some of your decisions. As long as you have faith in yourself and that hunger, it will happen. 


Thank You Diane Warren for everything you accomplished, being who you are and just having so much passion for music. Words can't even express how awesome you are!!! 




                                             MUSICNIQ xoxo